Remember when Mayhew used to aggressively trade to fill needs? What happened to that guy? Don't get me wrong, I love Blount's running style, but he's definitely in the Leshoure/Bell school of running backs.

_________________"There were a couple times where I was just like, 'Is that legal?" Warford said. "Cause he was getting laid out. I was like, 'Someone might call the cops. This is not fair.'"

March 9th, 2013, 4:08 pm

thelomasbrowns

Rookie Player of the Year

Joined: August 24th, 2010, 9:54 pmPosts: 2431

Re: Off-Season Moves

Man, the flat cap era sucks:

Timeline:-After releasing Peterman, KVB, and TY, we're estimated to be around 8 million under the cap (if you don't believe me, look at the posts right after we did it). -Nate and Dom take significant paycuts. Word spreads that the cap will unexpectedly go up to 123 million. -On the eve of free agency, we're estimated to be under the cap by....8 million?!?! -From Dave Birkett's twitter earlier today: "Lions have $6.7M in cap room after cap adjustments for incentives, etc. Still doesn't include Levy's new deal"

In other words, the next few days are gonna suck.

_________________"There were a couple times where I was just like, 'Is that legal?" Warford said. "Cause he was getting laid out. I was like, 'Someone might call the cops. This is not fair.'"

March 9th, 2013, 4:29 pm

liontrax

3rd Round Selection

Joined: March 21st, 2005, 2:11 pmPosts: 1112Location: Wolverine, Mi.

Re: Off-Season Moves

So, assuming we have to pay 6 or 7 draft picks out of that, we have nothing left to pursue any FA's.Get ready to see a bunch of rookies and 2nd year players in our starting lineups.

March 9th, 2013, 8:50 pm

wjb21ndtown

Re: Off-Season Moves

thelomasbrowns wrote:

Rumors of a trade in the works for Blount.

Remember when Mayhew used to aggressively trade to fill needs? What happened to that guy? Don't get me wrong, I love Blount's running style, but he's definitely in the Leshoure/Bell school of running backs.

IMO Blount would be the best and most versatile RB on our roster. I wonder what we could get him for?

The problem with trading for players is... who the hell do we have to trade? Backus?

March 9th, 2013, 8:53 pm

wjb21ndtown

Re: Off-Season Moves

thelomasbrowns wrote:

Man, the flat cap era sucks:

Timeline:-After releasing Peterman, KVB, and TY, we're estimated to be around 8 million under the cap (if you don't believe me, look at the posts right after we did it). -Nate and Dom take significant paycuts. Word spreads that the cap will unexpectedly go up to 123 million. -On the eve of free agency, we're estimated to be under the cap by....8 million?!?! -From Dave Birkett's twitter earlier today: "Lions have $6.7M in cap room after cap adjustments for incentives, etc. Still doesn't include Levy's new deal"

In other words, the next few days are gonna suck.

Like I said, we're phucked...

Starting to believe me yet?

We still have to sign our own FAs that we want to bring back, not named Levy with that "cap space" too...

Even if Staff restructures, we're still going to have peanuts to spend. Mayhew has this team more phucked around than any other team in the NFL, period. Our OL is in shambles, our DL is in shambles, our DBs and LBs have never been good, our WRs are only "good" because of one player, and our RBs are mediocre at best.

Remember when Mayhew used to aggressively trade to fill needs? What happened to that guy? Don't get me wrong, I love Blount's running style, but he's definitely in the Leshoure/Bell school of running backs.

IMO Blount would be the best and most versatile RB on our roster. I wonder what we could get him for?

The problem with trading for players is... who the hell do we have to trade? Backus?

I'd assume any deals they are able to make have to be using draft picks. Mayhew seems to like to trade 4th rd and later picks for proven vets.

I like Blount a lot, he may be a bigger back but he has the ability to break big runs and he seems to have better than average game speed.

March 9th, 2013, 9:50 pm

kdsberman

Team MVP

Joined: February 20th, 2007, 10:51 pmPosts: 3419Location: Saginaw, MI

Re: Off-Season Moves

rao wrote:

wjb21ndtown wrote:

thelomasbrowns wrote:

Rumors of a trade in the works for Blount.

Remember when Mayhew used to aggressively trade to fill needs? What happened to that guy? Don't get me wrong, I love Blount's running style, but he's definitely in the Leshoure/Bell school of running backs.

IMO Blount would be the best and most versatile RB on our roster. I wonder what we could get him for?

The problem with trading for players is... who the hell do we have to trade? Backus?

I'd assume any deals they are able to make have to be using draft picks. Mayhew seems to like to trade 4th rd and later picks for proven vets.

I like Blount a lot, he may be a bigger back but he has the ability to break big runs and he seems to have better than average game speed.

But, again, (and i stress AGAIN), what does it matter when he would be running behind this offensive line? The answer? It wont. And Mayhew fails time and time again to realize this. Every single FA there are either reports where we are interested in a running back or we actually sign a running back. But the result: The same ol' crappy running game that cant convert on 3rd and 1. Mayhew is an idiot.

Remember when Mayhew used to aggressively trade to fill needs? What happened to that guy? Don't get me wrong, I love Blount's running style, but he's definitely in the Leshoure/Bell school of running backs.

IMO Blount would be the best and most versatile RB on our roster. I wonder what we could get him for?

The problem with trading for players is... who the hell do we have to trade? Backus?

Blount hasn't done anything in the NFL for the last 2 years.

March 9th, 2013, 10:50 pm

thelomasbrowns

Rookie Player of the Year

Joined: August 24th, 2010, 9:54 pmPosts: 2431

Re: Off-Season Moves

wjb21ndtown wrote:

thelomasbrowns wrote:

Man, the flat cap era sucks:

Timeline:-After releasing Peterman, KVB, and TY, we're estimated to be around 8 million under the cap (if you don't believe me, look at the posts right after we did it). -Nate and Dom take significant paycuts. Word spreads that the cap will unexpectedly go up to 123 million. -On the eve of free agency, we're estimated to be under the cap by....8 million?!?! -From Dave Birkett's twitter earlier today: "Lions have $6.7M in cap room after cap adjustments for incentives, etc. Still doesn't include Levy's new deal"

In other words, the next few days are gonna suck.

Like I said, we're phucked...

Starting to believe me yet?

We still have to sign our own FAs that we want to bring back, not named Levy with that "cap space" too...

Even if Staff restructures, we're still going to have peanuts to spend. Mayhew has this team more phucked around than any other team in the NFL, period. Our OL is in shambles, our DL is in shambles, our DBs and LBs have never been good, our WRs are only "good" because of one player, and our RBs are mediocre at best.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I agree with you that we're phucked. It's the reason for that that we disagree on. I think it's the product of three top-2 picks from before the rookie salary cap era that have 'worked out.' You think it's because of front office blunders.

KVB is gone. Nate and Dom took paycuts. And we're still fudge because of Calvin, Staff, and Suh.

_________________"There were a couple times where I was just like, 'Is that legal?" Warford said. "Cause he was getting laid out. I was like, 'Someone might call the cops. This is not fair.'"

March 10th, 2013, 10:29 am

conversion02

RIP Killer

Joined: January 26th, 2005, 9:34 pmPosts: 10457Location: Sycamore, IL

Re: Off-Season Moves

I agree lomas, the league should give some sort of cap relief to those teams, almost like the nba does with the amnesty contract. The lions were the unfortunate losers at the top of multiple drafts when the top draft picks were signing deals higher than 90% of the vets in the league. You make a bad pick you're screwed $50M guaranteed.

Remember when Mayhew used to aggressively trade to fill needs? What happened to that guy? Don't get me wrong, I love Blount's running style, but he's definitely in the Leshoure/Bell school of running backs.

IMO Blount would be the best and most versatile RB on our roster. I wonder what we could get him for?

The problem with trading for players is... who the hell do we have to trade? Backus?

I'd assume any deals they are able to make have to be using draft picks. Mayhew seems to like to trade 4th rd and later picks for proven vets.

I like Blount a lot, he may be a bigger back but he has the ability to break big runs and he seems to have better than average game speed.

But, again, (and i stress AGAIN), what does it matter when he would be running behind this offensive line? The answer? It wont. And Mayhew fails time and time again to realize this. Every single FA there are either reports where we are interested in a running back or we actually sign a running back. But the result: The same ol' crappy running game that cant convert on 3rd and 1. Mayhew is an idiot.

He picked up a cheap starter in Nagy last year along with drafting Reiff, drafted Johnny Culbreath who managed to bounce himself off the team, they have been trying to develop Hilliard into a starting RT and continue to try and work with Fox. The team has been trying to improve on the Oline it just has not worked out. Already this off season they cut the weakest part of the line in Peterman and by asking for a paycut they have made it known to Raiola he's replaceable. Mayhew has tried to improve the line he just has been trying to do it on the cheap and they haven't hit on a player yet. Mayhew obviously see the weakness at the line, but his methods have failed so far. If you want be mad, be mad at how he does it. Also lets not forget the better question of why do all the linemen on the Lions always have pudgy, flabby arms and no ability to get push in the run game? It's like the Strength and conditioning program is from the 60s. The whole line does an ok job redirecting, but not a single one can hold back the push from the opposing team.

I agree lomas, the league should give some sort of cap relief to those teams, almost like the nba does with the amnesty contract. The lions were the unfortunate losers at the top of multiple drafts when the top draft picks were signing deals higher than 90% of the vets in the league. You make a bad pick you're screwed $50M guaranteed.

Yeah, it's terrible how bad they have been hurt by these contracts. Suh was the highest paid DT in the league from the day he was signed and that's with most of the contract guaranteed. I think both Stafford and CJ got the highest paid contracts at their positions also. Draft picks are supposed to help you by giving you good young players to build around, but the Lions can't because their young players use up all the money. They could have been better just not drafting anyone in the first round and using the open cap space to build with FAs. At least the FAs had shown something in the NFL before getting their huge contracts.

March 10th, 2013, 11:49 am

inheritedlionsfan

Team MVP

Joined: January 13th, 2006, 4:18 amPosts: 3347Location: Maryland

Re: Off-Season Moves

3 easy moves can save us a little over $4M in cap space which is about what it will take to sign rookies this year. Backus "retiring", cutting Mike Thomas and Ron Bartell. If we get a good KR/PR late in the draft Thomas is gone and Bartell can easily be replaced as well, but he's cheap enough at $1M we may stick with him.

A Stafford extension can help as well, but it 's not dire yet.

If the numbers out there are correct, we'll be in better shape next offseason. The only free agents of note are Pettigrew and Scheffler (Backus and Raiola of course but I'm hopeful they'll have been replaced/ retired) and excluding Levy, we'll only have about $95M committed to the cap, which includes $3.5M for Thomas who won't be seeing that money. I think it's missing some of the earlier restructures, but it may not be as it accounts for Nate, Stafford and Suh and I can't think of who else restructured. In any case, that should give us about $30M to play with so we can sign guys this year with contracts structured to pay them next year. Low base salaries for 2013 with high guaranteed base salaries next year.

Yes I know having that much space is in part to having so many free agents this year and starting spots to fill, but at least some of those will be filled by re-signing our own guys this year, and some by draft picks this and next year whose contracts will be cheap.